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Origin and road to independence of Roman Catholic parish in Selenca

Religious and moral life in Catholic Church was organized and guided by bishoprics, which were run trough parish. There was established bishopric already in 10.century in Kaloc (Kalocsa- in today Hungary) and a bit later (there is no precise date) it was united with bishopric in Bac; since then, it is named Bac’s and Kaloc’s Archbishopric. Archbishopric owned and ran several big estates near Bac.

Prior to Turkish occupation of this region, religious life of Catholics was ruled trough several arranged bishoprics and nearby monasteries. There are several bishoprics known to us from that times, which were on the territory of archbishopric of catholic parish in Nad Banci (Naggy Bancsa), in Dal, in Feledhaz (Felegyhaza)- perhaps in area of today Felit (?), praepositure of Drz (Ders) and others. Praepositure is office of higher church representative (often the monk) linked with his jurisdiction of nearby property.

After heartrending and tough defeat of Christian army at Mohac (Mohacs-today Hungary), Turks progressed to Budin and then to Vienna, and they overflowed and took over the rule of greater part of Hungary. Residents were running or hiding in front of them, because Turks were destroying everything that stood in their way. They were demolishing catholic churches, as well. That is how many of parishes were ruined and gone astray, as well as those mentioned.

We already have referred to, related to Declaration of Settlings, that in spite of many obstacles and hard times, individuals managed to arrive in the area around the Bac. Franciscans were carrying out their official church duties, as well as to other members of arranged parish. Afterwards, when declaration of settlings got a new item in 12.article, concerning quo ad Stolam, new residents were subjected to parish in Bac and Franciscans were also carrying their duties in new settlement Bacujfal. That is how new branch of source parish in Bacujfal was created.

In 1.January in year 1776, diocese clergymen took over the charge of catholic parish in Bac, as well as its branch, from Franciscans. A first clergyman was Stefan Ranic. As Chapel man of parish in Bac, they went in Bacujfal to inter bury deceased, while they conducted other religious services in Bac.

Later, when there was new church built in new settlement- branch of parish, they were conducting mass and other religious rituals here. Already mentioned Stefan Ranic’s appeal to Archbishop Office in Kaloc, to move the procession of jubilee of God’s body to different date, testifies about that.

Committee, which they created to find out in which new settlements they should establish independent parishes and nominate the vicars, in statement from 5.September of year 1784, introduces that in, already mentioned settlement Bacujfal (In anteleta Possessione Bacs-Ujfal), where is nicely ordered to inaugurate a new vicar (ad quam Parochus introdusendus benigne praecipitur), there is already a church and parish house and 450 adult and 444 minor Catholics live there, alongside with 894 other residents.